1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compact display assembly. In a particular embodiment the invention relates to a display assembly incorporating a liquid crystal display (LCD) though other displays, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display might also be used.
2. Description of Related Art
It is now possible to obtain LCD devices having substrates made of a flexible plate, for example a plastic film. Such devices may be mounted on non-planar surfaces. One such LCD is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,840 to Bennett. More recently, another flexible LCD device has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,902 to Kim et al.
Considerable research is presently being undertaken in relation to the development of OLED displays. OLED displays are made according to a multi-layer process by which an extremely thin polymer layer is sandwiched between two electrodes. A few layers of atoms from an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) transparent electric conductor are sputtered on transparent, flexible carrier films to form an anode. The anode is spin-coated with a very thin layer of electroluminiscent polymers. Centrifugal forces distribute the polymers, liquefied by solvents, in an absolutely uniform manner. In a final step a mechanically flexible cathode, being a combination of various metals, is sputtered on the component. The final product is flexible and less than 500 nm in thickness.
The manufacture of a display assembly which incorporates a flexible display poses a number of problems. One problem is that while the displays are flexible they will be damaged or their operation will be impaired if they are creased. Another difficulty is that although the display is flexible the associated driving circuitry is most readily mounted on rigid printed circuit boards. Accordingly a number of connections must be made between a flexible display and one or more rigid circuit boards which presents difficulties.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a display assembly which incorporates a flexible display and which is arranged so that the display may be folded or curved over on itself without creasing.
Accordingly the present invention provides a display assembly that includes a flexible display screen that has a plurality of connection points. At least two printed circuit boards (PCBs) are located at the rear of the screen and define a longitudinal region of the screen therebetween. Flexible connectors are located between the connection points located in the longitudinal region and each of the PCBs. An edge of the screen and edges of the PCBs define triangles, wherein the flexible connectors are of sufficient length to accommodate closing of the assembly about the longitudinal region.
Preferably said edge of the screen and edges of the PCBs define right triangles with the flexible connectors terminating along hypotenuses of the triangles.
Preferably the printed circuit boards are shaped so that the sum of the lengths of the hypotenuses is equal to said length of the display screen.
The flexible connectors may terminate along edges of the printed circuit board defining the longitudinal region of the screen.
In a preferred embodiment the screen comprises a flexible liquid crystal display.
Alternatively the screen may comprise an organic light emitting diode display.
The display assembly may be incorporated into a computational device, for example a laptop computer or electronic book.